L’Heureux embraces new challenge with Mooseheads ahead of 2021 NHL Draft
The initial offering in a year-long evaluation of NHL Draft eligible prospects, the annual Hlinka Gretzky Cup was sidelined this offseason due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.
Despite the showcase’s shuttering, newly acquired Halifax Mooseheads left-wing Zachary L’Heureux – one of 43 CHL players recognized on the would-be camp roster – took the development in stride.
“Of course it sucks that it had to be cancelled because of unfortunate circumstances, but it was still an honour to be named to the camp,” L’Heureux told the Canadian Hockey League. “It rewards all of the hard work, time, and effort you put into getting better every day, and representing your country like that is always special.”
Spending the 2019-20 season with the Moncton Wildcats, L’Heureux impressed as a rookie with near point-per-game production counting 20 goals and 33 assists across 55 appearances to tie for first in scoring among all QMJHL freshmen while also helping his squad to a 101-point finish, its best showing in a decade.
An offseason makeover now sees the third-overall selection from the 2019 QMJHL Entry Draft set to begin a new challenge with the upstart Mooseheads as the sophomore is ready to take on a leadership role and help the iconic franchise reclaim past glory.
“I think Halifax is a great city with great fans,” L’Heureux added. “It’s a young team and I’ll be able to grow with that. It’s going to be a bit different, but it will be good and I should be able to have a good year.
“I am going to come in and try to do the same thing I did in Moncton, but I think I can also have a bigger role than I did last year. I think I learned a lot last year from guys like Jakob Pelletier and Benoit-Olivier Groulx. I learned how to get to the next level.”
L’Heureux’s success with the Wildcats was part of a busy year for the Mercier, Que., native whose season also counted a five-game, three-assist showing at the 2019 World Under-17 Hockey Challenge, the first stepping stone in Hockey Canada’s Program of Excellence that ultimately culminates with the always anticipated World Juniors.
“It was a great experience,” recalled L’Heureux, who played alongside new Mooseheads teammate Cameron Whynot with Team Canada Black. “The tournament was a great setup and I took a lot away from it. It helped me grow as a hockey player. I want to work hard and get better and play (at the World Juniors) one day.”
Likening his playing style to that of London Knights graduates Max Domi and Matthew Tkachuk, L’Heureux mixes an energetic approach with a keen ability to find the scoresheet as evidenced by his formidable rookie campaign. It’s an approach L’Heureux plans to further showcase ahead of his projected selection in the 2021 NHL Draft. Still, the budding talent recognizes that what he accomplishes after draft day matters most of all.
“Being drafted as high as possible is the ultimate goal but I don’t want to worry about it too much. You see all these great players who are undrafted or late draft picks that have had excellent careers,” L’Heureux said. “I just want to play my game and show teams what I can do and get better every day so one day I can play in the NHL. That’s the real objective as a hockey player.”